Not so happily ever after
by Iggys-pyro-tribute-in-the-dark
Summary: Based off my SYOC. Max is a slave to her evil step mother and sisters. Between curses, fights to the death and dark secrets, how will Max, or anyone, come out alive? With dark magic and twists, this is not the sweet fairy story you know.
1. Chapter 1

**Max's POV**

When I was 6 years old my mother and baby sister Ella were killed.

Well there was no proof they were killed, but it was an unspoken agreement that they had been. One night they had just simply disappeared.

Their carriage had been found by lake Malice, they're horses were gone, their belongings were still there untouched, but no sign on my mother and Ella. But everyone knew what had happened. No one goes near Lake Malice and comes back the same.

Lake Malice is where most magic practiser's lived, but all the ones that lived there were the ones who practiced dark, black magic.

As a six year old people assumed I didn't remember much of them, but they're wrong. It still feels like only yesterday my mother was reading me to sleep with baby Ella curled up next to me.

By the time I was 9 I was finally going back to normal and not grieving anymore but then my father decided to get remarried. I guess he thought I'd be best for me to have another woman in the house, which I can understand what he means by that. Even as a young child I refused to wear corsets and get all dressed up for pointless day to day activities.

The woman he married went by the name of Marian Janssen. As if having a new step-mother wasn't bad enough she came with two daughters my age, Lissa and Brigid. With the devil's flowing red hair they both make my life hell.

Marian was as bad as they come. She seemed so sweet and kind to everyone, but I knew the truth. She was horrid to me; she would yell at me, force me to do things for her like a slave and now and then when she was a bad mood she would hit me.

As a kid there wasn't really much I could do about it and my father never believed me so I just gave up.

I knew she didn't love my father and only married him for our family was well off, we weren't rich but we had it pretty easy. I hoped one day she would slip up and everyone including my father would see her for what she really was. But the opposite happened.

When I was 11 I was wandering the fields behind our house with Iggy and Draco. Iggy and Draco had been my only two friends for years.

Draco was technically my cousin on my mum's side, but really he was just my best friend. He had black hair that was longish and fell down to his chin, his eyes were sea green and he was a head taller than me.

I can't even remember when Iggy and I met; he just always seemed to be there. He was taller than most people I knew and he was thin and pale with strawberry blonde hair and pale blue eyes.

That day Iggy had fallen over and cut his forehead open and Draco had taken him home. With nothing better to do I had decided to go home early.

As I walked into the kitchen I saw the knife come down. My hand flew over my mouth to stop myself screaming as it plunged into my father's back.

I had never seen so much blood before; it just seemed to never stop flowing from him. The blood finally stopped flowing and I think it was because there was none left in the body.

Marian wiped the knife clean and put it back in the knife draw.

That day I had seen my step-mother kill my father.

No one ever found out how my father was murdered, but I knew the truth.

Marian and her two daughters inherited everything, the house, the money, and much to their dismay, me.

Ever since that day I knew I was no longer safe. I had never spoken of what I had seen in case she found out I knew and then I would be next. Ever since then I had literally became the slave of the house.

* * *

I awoke with my heart beating so fast I thought it was trying to escape from my chest. Ever since I had seen my father murdered my dreams replayed it over and over again every night.

I picked myself off the blankets on the cold floor. For 6 years I've been sleeping on the floor in the basement, I was a slave to my own house.

"Max!" I hear Marian scream at me from upstairs.

I sighed and stretched then got to my feet and headed up there.

"Yes?" I mumbled.

"I spilled the coal" Lissa pouted and I saw the coal bucket had been tipped over in her attempts to move it.

"You really are useless aren't you?" I sighed and her mouth swung open.

"She was doing your job you ungrateful swine" Marian yelled, throwing her wooden spoon at me which I neatly dodged.

I sighed again and got ready to start another day in hell.

**Fang's POV**

"But father, this tradition is barbaric" I exclaimed.

"I know Fang, but it's the way things have always been" my father told me for the millionth time.

"Well I think it's time to make a change" I told him and he sighed.

"You know that's not possible" he told me again.

"But one of us will be king, we can make it possible" Dylan added.

"Son, just because your king doesn't make you the most powerful force out there. We are but pawns to the greater powers" he told us, his eyes showing pain beyond what we could ever know. Dylan looked at me sadly and I returned the look.

All of a sudden the doors slammed open and I sighed. Arianna.

"How dare you send servants to follow me!" Arianna yelled at our father.

"Arianna" Father sighed and her face was going slightly red.

"I simply wanted to make sure your safe" Father said and I rolled my eyes.

"That's a lie and you know it! You just want to make sure I'm not doing something that would disgrace this family!" She yelled and we knew she was right.

"Arianna when are you going to grow up and realize that no matter what you do, you are still apart of this family and nothing is going to change that" he told her.

"I am not just some child you can control anymore" she said turned to leave.

"Why can't you be more like your sister?" he sighed and she froze.

"I am not Riley Anne. Unlike her, I will not follow your stupid rules. One day I will marry for love, not power, riches, or some stupid curse" she hissed then continued to storm away.

"Can't you talk to her?" Father asked me and Dylan.

"Sorry, but what she says is understandable" I said and Dylan nodded.

Arianna was my younger sister, at 16 she was the most rebellious, stubbornest and had the most will power than anyone I knew. Riley Anne was my older sister. She was 22 and at the moment she was near engagement and being courted by the cocky, vain Prince Lucian.

Then there was me and Dylan, we were twins and therefore both aged 17. Dylan had the golden looks were I had the darker looks.

I love Dylan with all my heart, but I wish I was an only child.

We were both princes near the same age, and with that came a price. It was traditional for when all males of the family were 18 they would hold a ball and pick out one bride. Then, they would fight to the death until only one male was left and he got the girl and the kingdom.

When our father turned 18 he had to kill his 4 older brothers, still today he was traumatized by it.

And this time next week was Dylan and I's 18 birthday.


	2. Chapter 2

**Max's POV**

I wiped the sweat off my forehead with my hand then wiped my hand on my shirt.

"You could help" I said glaring at Iggy.

"Where's the fun in that?" he smirked, lounging on a tree branch as I split wood.

"Fine. Maybe I'll go ask Draco if he can help, get it done faster you know" I said heaving the heavy axe over my shoulder and started walking off.

"Fine I'll split a few pieces" Iggy said jumping out of the tree and taking the axe off me.

I tried not to grin too much at his naive yet ego filled attitude. Draco and Iggy were always competing over everything, they were so stupid, but I wasn't complaining, all I had to do was mention getting the other and one would come running to help.

I leant against the tree. The tree I leant against was my father's. He and I had planted it after the death of my mother and sister. Ella had only been 4 when they had died. So young.

The apples from this tree were the best apples around. After my father's death Marian decided to make a profit and sell the apples, so twice a week I had to carry a basket of apples to the market.

As Iggy chopped away at the wood I started picking apples and placing them in a basket.

Today was hot, if you looked on a flat surface you could see it waver from the heat. I looked over to see Iggy was working up a sweat he paused to catch his breath.

Iggy's family wasn't as well off as mine and Iggy had to do a lot around the house to take care of the family after his father was killed by a witch.

I rolled my eyes as he stood up straight and pulled his shirt off. He was pale but in a good way and he had a toned body, with a six pack and muscled arms. As hot as most girls would find that, I looked away, feeling like I was perving on my brother.

I laughed to myself as I noticed Lissa and Brigid peeping out of their bedroom window. It was obvious they thought Iggy was hot, but they'd never admit it because he was a mere peasant-like boy.

They were more into the money and power. They both talked nonstop about the two Braxlin Princes, Prince Fang and Prince Dylan. Personally I just thought they were two pretty rich boys who only ever lifted a finger to call someone to do they hard work. Pampered brats they were. I'd only be kidding myself to say they weren't hot, of course they were, but I'd rather personality and brains over looks. Not that I needed to think about that anytime soon.

"Ready?" I asked Iggy as he finished chopping and I finished picking.

"Sure" he said wiping his forehead with his shirt then putting it back on and I pulled a face at him.

"Keep up Max" Iggy grinned as I lagged behind, trying to keep hold of the basket. I shot him a death look and got a better grip on the basket.

We arrived into the market and headed towards James' market stall.

"Hey Max" James grinned.

James was 19 and was about 5'11 but built strong and tough looking. He had short red hair and sea green eyes. James didn't have any parents and had to raise his sister and brother alone. My father had known his parents and had helped out when he could, so after Marian said to sell the apples I sold them to James, for a cheap price of course.

"Thanks" he said as I handed him the basket.

"Anytime. So how's things?" I asked.

"Been better" he grimaced and I patted his shoulder sympathetically.

James' brother Gazzy had started working as a servant to the Braxlin's. Gazzy was only 16.

James' family amused me because all three siblings all looked different. Where James had red hair and green eyes, Gazzy had spiky blonde hair and big blue eyes. And then his 17 year old sister Nudge had frizzy brown hair and brown eyes, and she had dark skin. It was obvious Nudge had been adopted by the family, but no one ever said so for they treated her no different.

Just then Nudge walked over holding a little kid's hand. I instantly recognised the kid as Angel.

Angel was Draco's 6 year old sister. Unlike Draco, Angel had cute blonde ringlets and big innocent looking blue eyes.

"Hey kiddo" I grinned messing up her hair with my hand.

"Hey Max" she grinned enthusiastically.

I pulled an apple out from my pocket (I always had one in there in case I saw Angel down the market) and handed it to her and she beamed.

"Hey guys. What's going on?" Nudge asked.

"Same old same old. You?" I asked.

"Just about to go drop Angel off home" she said.

"We'll take her" Iggy said, swinging Angel up on his shoulders and she giggled.

We headed past Draco's house but he wasn't home so we dropped Angel off and I headed home while Iggy headed back to his place.

As I went inside I could see Marian and the two red haired wonders gathering around a piece of paper.

"What's that?" I asked.

"None of your business" Brigid snapped.

"Where have you been?" Marian hissed.

"Delivering apples" I answered.

"Did you clean the fire place? Wash and feed the horses? Run my errands? Clean the floors? Clean the girl's room? Clear the chimney? Sort the washing and put it away? Chop the wood?" She asked.

"Yes" I said walking past them.

"It's Prince Fang and Dylan's 18th birthday tomorrow" Brigid said as if she was talking to no one in particular but I knew she was talking to me.

"I'm sure that's considered stalking for you to know that" I rolled my eyes.

"No. They're having a ball and everyone's invited" Lissa added.

"Good for them" I said casually.

"Because it's their 18th birthday they want every female between the age of 16 and 20 there" Brigid said.

"That's not only creepy and gross, but also degrading for those girls" I said.

"They're picking a bride" Lissa sighed happily.

"Ok, now that's degrading. I wouldn't be caught dead there" I said going to walk off again.

"Despite how much none of us want you there and how much you'll embarrass this family. You have to go, it's the law" Marian said with disgust.

"One: I'm not part of 'this family'. Two: They'll have to come make me" I said, neatly dodging the cup she threw at me and walking to my 'room'.


End file.
